Hari Budha Magar is a record-breaking mountaineer and adventurer. He is the first-ever double above knee amputee (DAK) to summit a mountain over 6,000m. Hari never intended to break the record, he climbed to challenge himself and to inspire others.
1) How did your journey with British army begin?2) Which has been your most memorable moment while serving in army?3) How the tragic accident happened in Afghanistan?4) How did you cope up with that incident and regained your confidence?5) What has been your inspiration?6) What came to your mind and drifted you towards mountaineering?7) Which was your first summit?8) Which has been your highest summit, and your most memorable experience in mountaineering?9) How important is the summit of Mount Everest for you?10) Tell us about the most scariest adventure you have come across.11) How was life in quarantine?FOLLOW HIS JOURNEY –
In 2021, Hari will become the first ever DAK to even attempt to summit the world’s highest peak: Mount Everest.
Here is Hari Budha Magar in a conversation with GOGO Magazine.
1) How did your journey with British army begin?
We need inspiration and motivation but also see to believe it to do something in our life. First, my father dream was one of his children to join the army. We are three brothers and I am the oldest one and had a lot of responsibility in my family. Second, a lot of children in Nepal, instead of following our own dreams, we do what our parents tell us to do. Third, I saw some of my school mates have joined the army. So simply that’s why I joined the army.
2) Which has been your most memorable moment while serving in army?
- Best memorable moment is selected to join the British Army in 230 out of over 12,000 applications.
- Worst memorable moment is, in the blink of eyes I lost both my legs and sustained multiple injuries in Afghanistan in 2010.
3) How the tragic accident happened in Afghanistan?
- I was deployed in Afghanistan in 2010. Our job was to take two engineers to survey well, so later they can go repair it. Our job was to provide security for them.
- We were on foot patrol, we were 20. I was 10th in single file. Suddenly, went BANG! I stepped on Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and lost my legs is split seconds and my life changed for forever.
4) How did you cope up with that incident and regained your confidence?
- I completely lost the confidence. I felt worthless and insecure. I couldn’t even brush my teeth, eat, go to toilet and have a shower myself. I thought my life is finished, I will need a carer for rest my life. I turned into alcoholic to control my pain and emotion. I tried to kill myself but I didn’t want to live my family behind so I promised myself to live. Then I started trying sports and adventures that’s what gave my confidence back.
5) What has been your inspiration?
- My family, I am alive today only because of my family.
6) What came to your mind and drifted you towards mountaineering?
- I grew up in foothills of Himalayas in Nepal until the age of 19 seeing mountains every day.
- I read in the textbook in my childhood that the tallest peak in the world is the Mt. Everest, it’s in Nepal. We are very proud of that.
- After getting my confidence back and finding out that “Life is all about adaptation and Nothing is Impossible.” I made the decision to climb the Everest. All the mountains I climbed so far are my training climbs for Everest.
- I always wanted to climb from a small age, so my dream is coming true even I don’t have both legs.
7) Which was your first summit?
- Mera Peak 6,476m in Nepal
8) Which has been your highest summit, and your most memorable experience in mountaineering?
- All mountains are one way or another memorable and world records. Mera Peak is the highest mountain I have climbed so far.
- Climbing Mera Peak 6,476m is the most memorable one, loosing both legs above the knee which the world record by first ever double above knee amputee to summit the mountain over 6000m. I couldn’t stop crying on summit of Mera Peak because I was so happy that I made it The most of people didn’t believe that people with disability can’t climb it.
9) How important is the summit of Mount Everest for you?
- For me it’s not that much important but It’s super important for making awareness of disability and human endeavour
- This climb is to change perception on disable people
- Show what can be achieved with positive mindset and determination
- Create history and make proud to the people who I am associated and saved my life and brought me up this far
- Show Nothing is Impossible
- Inspire the world
10) Tell us about the most scariest adventure you have come across.
- I and my guide nearby died on Mont Blanc. My guide was at the front, we were climbing in steep and there blue ice attached safety line to each other. He slipped and slides down, he also pulled me, I couldn’t bare his weight and slipped away my both hands from ice axes, luckily crampon on my right leg stopped us. If he slid on my side, if he came over me we would’ve both dead.
11) How was life in quarantine?
- I am able to spend time with my family
- Just after first lockdown, I climbed Ben Nevis the tallest mountain in the U.K. with Genium X3s
- Regularly Giving Talks in Zoom
- Making a lot of plan for business
- And of course, I am working towards Everest Expedition.
FOLLOW HIS JOURNEY –
WEBSITE: https://www.haribudhamagar.com/
INSTAGRAM: @hari_budha_magar
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